Sermon Illustrations

PETER MARSHALL’S CALLING

In her book, A Man Called Peter, Catherine Marshall tells how her late preacher-husband felt a sense of destiny a sense of call in his life.

One dark night, Peter, then a young man, decided to take a shortcut across the Scottish moors. He knew there was a deep deserted limestone quarry in that area, but he was confident he could avoid it.

Suddenly, he heard someone call, "Peter!" There was great urgency in the voice. Peter stopped and called, "Yes, who is it? What do you want?"

There was no answer. He walked a few more steps and then heard the voice calling still more urgently, "Peter!" He paused then stumbled and fell on his knees. Putting out his hand to catch himself, he found nothing there! He was at the very edge of the abandoned stone quarry. One more step would have meant certain death.

From that calling, Peter Marshall knew he was called by God for the ministry. Peter Marshall had a sense of calling, a sense that God had a purpose for his life. And I think in the same way each of us have been called by God to fulfill a purpose, to fulfill some task in this life, to become part of God’s over-all plan.

(From a sermon by Tim Zingale, "Tire Kickers" 1/19/2009)

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